4 Smooches!

Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers book 1 of 3 in the contemporary romance LOVE IN NEW YORK series.

Sometimes engagement rings can get lost and then found. Sometimes people can too. All it takes is a heavy-duty dose of karma and the magic of Manhattan to make it all come together.

Leah is a financially destitute new age hippy. James is a wealthy surgeon with a trust fund. She’s awkward, he’s poised. She’s completely crazy, he’s way too sane. People might say they have nothing in common, but they’d be wrong. They both live in Manhattan, they both have no idea how to change a baby diaper, and they’re both lost … until they find one another.

LOVE IN NEW YORK SERIES READING ORDER:
Love in New York: Book 1 (Lost and Found)
Love in New York: Book 2 (Cabin Fever)
Love in New York: Book 3 (Mister Fixit)

About this series: I’d never been to New York City before, but I knew I would love it and wanted to write a story that was set in the most exciting city in the world. So I hopped on a plane with my friend Susan and spent 5 whirlwind days there, soaking up the culture, seeing the sights and nailing down the scenes that would eventually end up in this series. Those of you familiar with New York City know what I’m talking about when I say you just can’t beat Russ and Daughters’ bagels, Central Park, Times Square, Brooklyn, and Yonnah Schimmels’ knishes.

Review

“…what was once a very refreshing oasis of sanctuarial bliss has now become a very cold, very wet pool of regret…”

Leah Carmichael is desperate to avert what she just knows will be a karmic disaster of epic proportions. Twenty-eight, about to be evicted and woefully underemployed as a clerk in a new age shop, Leah finds a ring in a fountain and she is certain this a test, one she must pass, in order to move on to good in her life. So begins the journey of finding the ring’s rightful owner and returning it.

“Everything’s falling apart and yet life must go on.”

Dr. James Oliver, famed Manhattan plastic surgeon, masks the pain of loss with cool indifference. Always living up to or exceeding everyone else’s expectations of him, he’s never taken the time to figure out what exactly would make him happy in this life. Slamming into Leah on the street unwittingly kicks off a series of events in the good doctor’s life that has him rethinking everything.

“FYI, no insane person in the history of insane people ever admitted to being insane.”

Leah and James’ first few, um, “run-ins” don’t go all that well. They keep popping up in each other’s lives, and neither is none-too-impressed by the other. When Leah’s ring tracking journey leads her to James’ door, however, things really start to get interesting. See, the thing is, James doesn’t want the ring back – it’s a symbol of all that is wrong in his life. As anxious as Leah is to right this karmic wrong and return the ring to him, James is just as determined to keep that ring – and all it stands for – out of his hands, his life or, as the case may be, his couch cushions.

“Karma is seriously giving me her all. I thought I respected her before, but I was wrong. Now I feel her true power, and I am in awe.”

Several attempts, several disguises, several hair-brained schemes at deceiving the doctor into seeing her so she can return this damn ring all result in failure. Leah is getting frustrated, she is convinced that this is yet another karmic test, and she becomes more determined than ever to get this ring back into James’ hands. She pulls out all the stops, even roping others – albeit very begrudgingly – into her shenanigans. The harder she tries, the more entertained by her efforts the doctor becomes. And he is equally as determined to make sure that that ring stays with her.

“Go ahead, Karma. I’m on to you. I know your game. I can handle anything you throw at me. Bring it.”

This book was a terrifically hilarious, zany, wacky, sometimes goofy, slapsticky romcom. Elle Casey was so descriptive; I could literally picture some of these scenes playing out. There were so many moments in this book that had me laughing out loud – big bellowing belly laughs, the kind that make your husband look at you like you’re crazy from the other side of the couch. Tears streaming down my face, foot stomping on the floor, hiccupping laughter. It was awesome.

This was a really quick read; I zipped through its pages like Leah zipped through crowded New York City streets in pursuit of James. It’s a book you won’t want to put down because you just have to know what ridiculousness Leah is going to serve up to James next and what he’s going to do to foil her plans.

Lost and Found is a riot of humor; scheming hippie girls, uptight doctors, psycho secretaries, a hospitalized homeless guy who just lost his foot, a sweet baby girl, and a Cartier clerk accomplice. This was an absolutely perfect example of opposites attracting in the most wonderful and satisfying of ways. On a really crappy day in my world, Elle Casey did the impossible with this book and had me smiling and laughing.

4 Karma-can-kiss-my-ass Smooches for Lost and Found from me!

~ Danielle Palumbo

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5 Smooches!

Synopsis

Our little family has been together for four years, and life has been good, considering my track record. But In the blink of an eye, my ease was suddenly gone when I heard his terrifying words. I knew from the look on Tango’s face and the way he avoided my gaze—all hell was about to break loose. Now it seems like the dangers I spent years desperately avoiding are starting to threaten my happily ever after.

Maybe it’s because I let my guard down. Or maybe it’s because I was starting to trust again. But I can’t even trust the people closest to me, and now I remember why.

Screw with me, that’s one thing. Screw with my family, and we’ve got a problem…

(This can be read as a standalone)

Review

Is it really strange that I enjoyed this novella slightly more than when I read TAG, the full length novel back at the beginning of the year. Maybe it was because the characters have been established and we know they already had their happily ever after so we get to skip the ‘getting to know you’ bit, or maybe it was because there was so much action, suspense and intrigue shovelled by the chapter load into this book, whatever it was I loved it.

You’re It picks up with Tango and Cali happily married and living in seclusion with their beautiful daughter Tyler but when some murky characters emerge from the past right into their present things get very complicated and it’s up to Tango to put those demons to rest once and for all.

‘I led Cali to believe I wasn’t dying for almost an entire month, but it’s been four years with her, and if I blink the wrong way, that girl knows when I’m lying. And she isn’t one of those girls that’ll take “I don’t want to talk about it right now” as an excuse. Cali, all five feet one hundred pounds of her, will push me up against a wall, because I’ll let her, and hold me there with her blazing blue eyes and stare up at me until I cave and tell her every little thing I had no intention of telling her.

Which is exactly why I’m still madly in love with this girl.’

I love that Tango’s bravery and chivalry is still paramount to his character but at the same time he comprehends his wife is a strong and determined woman who is going to want to fight alongside him, especially when it comes to protecting their little family. You’re It (great name to follow on from TAG!) is a terrific little book, Shari is clever at making her characters shine while being able to keep the reader highly motivated to get to the end with a action packed conspiracy and a host of bad guys for the heroes to get through.

~Nicole

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3 Smooches

Synopsis

I had an affair. The most forbidden and seductive affair, and fell in Love.

He was a rare gentleman, intelligent and gorgeous; a man every woman desired. Every cell in my body was telling me that he was my happily ever after.

I was stuck in a marriage of mediocrity, I ached for red silk romance and carry me away passion, but not with my husband. I craved Him.

Living without him was cruel and unusual punishment, even for my wandering heart.

Affairytale is a tantalizing memoir of sultry encounters, hidden grottos and secret hillside cabins. From the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes to the Southern shores of Maui you’ll fall in love with this tell-all memoir that pulls back the veil on infidelity and gives you rare look into hearts and bedroom of a real life extramarital affair.

Woven with original love letters and scandalous text messages, this engrossing true love story is sure to break then win your heart.

True Love always finds a way.
Sometimes…it starts with an affair.

Review

C.J. has always known that Levi wasn’t the love of her life. But he was there, he was stable and he was what she has known since they first started dating as teenagers. But as life goes on and their relationship becomes bitter and angry deposits a child and a marriage C.J. begins to doubt it all. Especially when the handsome stranger Grant becomes not such a stranger anymore, showing up at family holidays and nights out, Grant soon becomes a friend, a good friend…and then someone C.J. wants more than friendship with, someone she can’t stop thinking about.

“Loneliness tucked me in with a thin red blanket and offered me its cold shoulder in the place where his should have been. Emotionally exhausted and on the brink of a meltdown, I was a felony disaster.”

This is a story for a reader who loves plots that contain affairs and forbidden romances that occur because the leads are in relationships. This was my first read of a book based around an affair and unfortunately, I discovered I don’t love this type of novel. However, I could not fault the writing or the emotions this story stirred up in me.

“Then I turned to him to say a final goodbye. With tears in my eyes I said, “I wish we could have been together in a different lifetime, I have a feeling we would have been really amazing. You are the most incredible man I’ve ever known and I meant everything I’ve said. Goodbye.”

What I loved; the writing was nearly faultless, it flowed throughout and the story was easy to follow. And I believe any sign of a good writer is one that can site up strong emotions and that was certainly the with this story; as it is a story about an affair it is no surprise that a strong emotion I felt was anger and sadness. I felt sad for everyone involved but also anger with Levi for being aggressive and C.J. for having the affair and being quite heartless. It was a long story, one where you could get emotionally invested with the characters and interested by the plot line.

“He was intoxicating, more than I’d imagined he would be, and in such a different way. My physical body was drunk on him of course, but the invisible union of our souls felt like destiny, like we’d been meant for each other since the beginning of time.”

Things I didn’t like; unfortunately I really didn’t like C.J, I thought although Levi was not a nice man, C.J. was heartless, cold and quite unfeeling over the whole thing. I got the impression Levi was the way he was because C.J. has treated him in quite a clinical and cold way throughout their relationship. And although I had no issues with Grant, he wasn’t such an amazing male lead where I would be able to justify C.J. having the affair. Although the plot was interesting, the affair plot to me was a bit too depressing and angry and I didn’t feel many other emotions such as happiness, or relief so for me it was a bit too intense with not much to break it up.

“It’s just always been you. I can’t resist you any longer, I’ve tried.”

I would definitely recommend this to those who love affair reads; it was really well written, had a developed plot which allowed you to get really invested and it will definitely stir up strong emotions!

~Bethany

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5 Smooches!

Synopsis

Dear Mr. Black,

I know you were hurting. I heard your cries. I wished over and over again that I could make it better, but as you stated I was too inexperienced; too good for someone as bad as you.
Perhaps you were right, but it didn’t matter because what I did know was that I loved the way you felt—loved the way you smelled. I loved how hard you got for me, and when you called me your Little Knight.
I can still remember that day in the park, when you held me close and kissed me deep. How you effortlessly made me cry your name on top of sweet smelling grass, making me feel like the only girl in the world. I loved how you looked at me, how you spoke to me.
I had been madly in love with you ever since I was twelve years old, but I shouldn’t have been.
Isabelle would have hated it—my best friend. I couldn’t afford to lose her. Besides, you two had already lost enough. Losing Mrs. Black was the epitome.

It’s Chloe Knight.
I wanted to be there for you no matter what, but Isabelle needed me too.
And she would have hated me if she ever found out I was sleeping with her father.

** Tainted Black is a forbidden love-story about a girl who helplessly falls for her best friend’s father. After a tragic accident ends the life of Theo Black’s wife, he turns to the one person he has always found interesting.
Chloe Knight, the girl from across the street, his daughter’s best friend, and a person that is considered completely off limits for him. **

— AUTHOR NOTE: Chloe IS NOT 12 when she sleeps with Mr. Black. When she says she’s been in love with him ever since she was 12 years old, it means she has loved him since then, way before he ever knew. When the tragedy happens, Chloe is 19 and Theo is 39. When she mentions the “sweet grass” part, she is 19 years old. Hope that clears things up! 🙂 —

Review

It’s been exactly eighteen hours since I sat dumbfounded, emotionally wrecked and in complete awe as I read those dreaded words ‘the end’. I can also tell you it has been a number of months since a book has touched me so uniquely, heart and soul but even longer since a book has become so imprinted on my memory and heart and soul and caused me to stare off into an abyss of contemplation and wonder.

Tainted Black is as dark and desolate as it is tragically beautiful and romantic. There is this sense of utter melancholy and little-boy-lost that clings to Theo Black, he’s suffered through devastation, death, guilt and regret and somehow the one person that shouldn’t be able to lure him out of his self-hatred and destruction is the very girl that knows him to his very core and is the one girl that keeps the momentum of guilt and regret on a constant cycle as they journey on one of the hottest most seductive love affairs I have ever experienced.

‘“God, you have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?” My heart pounded. I couldn’t speak. I didn’t need to.

“I know you like me, Chloe.”

“Mr. Black, I-”

“Theo…please,” he begged, eyes shutting briefly before opening again, “…just call me Theo. Call me by my first name. It sounds so good coming out of your mouth.”’

What begins as an illicit affair between nineteen year old Chloe and thirty-eight-year-old Theo- one brought about by tragedy and regret-soon transforms into something deeper and more profound than Theo ever wanted or could have hoped for and indeed more than Chloe had imagined in her youthful fantasies about her BFF’s gorgeous tattooed motorcycle riding dad. Theo is a phenomenal character.

Taking it from Chloe’s POV he is the perfect older man. He really listens and gives terrific advice. He is incredibly sexy and has a voice that could tempt a nun but above all else he truly loves his wife. Loyal and romantic and faithful until the very end, Theo is perfection personified. However as a reader we get the bonus of seeing inside Theo’s head to realise how deeply flawed and jagged he is-a beautiful disaster waiting to happen. We witness how messed up and confused he feels, how he simply wants to numb all of his hurt and longing and how he seemingly uses the vulnerable and naive Chloe to accomplish this, but through Shanora’s fantastic character development and wonderfully written dual points of view the reader gets a wider scope of what to an outsider seems like a one-sided seduction. I can’t begin to explain how terrific Tainted Black was. There was no huge dramatic storyline that took up the whole of the book, it was simply a steamy, scintillating and devastating romance that progressed through the years and managed to captivate my attention and my imagination in equal measures as various lives connected and intersected in unimaginable ways, with tragic consequences. The writing flows so easily, giving this remarkable and slightly taboo story of sex, guilt, redemption, absolution and love a chance to shine. It’s a fabulously unique love story with an ending that left me in serious thought after. It was a marvellous ending to a sterling piece of writing by an incredibly talented author, it just fit perfectly with the flow and maturity level of the whole book.

~Nicole

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